The Red
by DevilWithTheAngelWingsOn
Summary: Have you ever felt yourself break? Just felt your body suddenly lose all self control and snap. I have. And then the red came. (Riddick)


"The Red"

They say freak

When your singled out 

The red... 

It filters through 

So lay down 

The threat is real 

When his sight

Goes red again 

Seeing red again 

This change 

He won't contain 

Slip away 

To clear your mind 

When asked 

What made it show? 

The truth 

He can't send to most 

Seeing red again 

They say freak 

When your singled out 

The red.... 

It filters through

*~^~*Lyrics are courtesy of Chevelle*~^~*

     Have you ever felt yourself break?  Just felt your body suddenly lose all self control and snap.  Have you ever watched from a far off stand point as you grew so enraged that a red haze covered your vision and all of a sudden you BREAK and then the violence begins. . .on yourself, on others, on anything you can find.  I have.  I tried to control myself but I was beyond that point I was beyond any reasoning of any kind.  I don't remember much but I do remember a red-God, blood red-haze cover my vision taking over my entire being.  And then it happened. . .I couldn't have stopped it if I tried.

*********

     I was never much of the social kind in highscool.  I had no real friends and I was considered to be pretty much a freak or geek.  I was also moved around alot due to the factors of one:  being in foster care, and two:  I had a slight issue with my temper.  North East High School was my last hope.  

     None of it mattered to me.   I just wanted out, I wanted my education and I wanted ot leave the hell hole.  It wasn't that i didn't enjoy school -because I really did- no, it was because of the kids.  Always taunting and ridiculing.  Most of the time I could let it go. . .no. . .all the time I let it go.  But then, it happened and there was nothing I could do besides let the red take over and watch from afar.  I can still remember it so clearly now. . .  

     All I was doing was sitting in one of the buildings eating lunch and reading a book when they walked up starting it all.  

"Well, well, well. . .if it isn't our little buddy, Dickie.  Guys. . .say hi to Dick."  Billy Myers, star quarterback of the NorthEast High School Panthers, spoke as he walked towards me. 

The rest of his jock buddies encircled me and I received a collected "Hi, Dickie." or "What's up Dick?".

I didn't want a commotion, if they wanted my lunch they could have it. If they wanted me to do their homework. . .well, sadly I would have done it.  Just so they would leave me alone.  "Hi guys."  'The sooner I disinterest them the better.'

"Are you skipping class, Dickie?"  Billy asked in a mocking voice.

"No, its my lunch time.  I just wanted to sit out here and read.  You know, just enjoy the free time."

There came a muffled laugh from the back of the group and then a remark, "What are you. . .some kind of fag?!"

Bill glanced at the kid and then back at me a slow smile creeping onto his face as he looked at my book, "What are you reading there, Dick?"  He quickly grabbed the book from my grasp.  "The Art of War?  You really are a flammer, Dickie!"  He and his buddies began to laugh.

Just then another familiar face in the group emerged. . .Luke, the schools star running back, "Naw, he aint a flammer man. . .he's a freak."  He spoke taking the book from Billy and looking at it for a moment.

"Guys. . .can I just have my book back?"  I asked as kindly as I could.  I was beginning to feel a slow and steady rise of an old feeling that I'd tried so hard to get rid of.

They say freak / When your singled out / The red... / It filters through 

"Ooooh, I guess we should give the book back.  Don't want big bad Richard Riddick to hurt us."  Luke taunted.

"Yeah right, Luke. Dickie here couldn't hurt a fly.  He couldn't do shit."  Billy said leaning down to my level.  

The feeling was rising like hot bile in my throat, only it was something far worse.  "Look guys. . .would you just give me my book back."  I could feel my hand beginning to reach the metal knife on my lunch plate.  This was escalating to something I wasn't looking forward to.

"Guuuuuys!  Give me my book back!"  Luke said imitating me.  

"No. . .I'm serious. . ."  My voice had taken a far more sinister tone which didn't seem to register with the guys who had now taken to throwing the book between themselves and reading off random pages.  

"Okay guys. . .I really think we should give Richard here his book back."  Bill said stiffling a laugh.  He began to hand me my book and then threw it to Luke.

I reached for the book but missed.  I slowly began to stand, I'd had enough.  "Give me the book back."

NOw the entire group had taken to mocking me. . ."Give me the book back."

"I'm serious!"  The knife was in my hand. . .I could feel the cold steel sitting comfortably in my hand even then the handling of a knife had come completely natural.  

"I'm serious."  The guys chanted.

I lunged towards Bill who currently held the book, "GIVE ME THE FUCKING BOOK!"  I boomed loudly.  The feeling was beginning to fill my veins and seep out.  I could see it happening.  And suddenly the edges of my vision was turning a beautiful blood red.

The guys got ready to repeat but Luke stopped them, "Wait guys. . .I think he might actually be serious. . .here you are Rich."  He began to hand me the book but my hand barely grazed it before he ripped it away.  

I moved forward invading Luke's space.  I was tired of the games and I was slowly losing control.

The games were over. . .suddenly Luke's stance changed from playful to serious.  "What are you gonna do boy?  What the fuck are you gonna do?"

     I didn't say anything. . .I just toyed with the knife behind my back.  I was waiting.  'One wrong move and its over.'  A voice I was unfamiliar with said readying me.  My jaw tightened in anticipation. 

Luke smiled, pushing the book into my chest.  "Relax Dickie boy. . .just a joke."  He smacked my cheek playful and motioned for everyone to follow him.  

     I would have let it go, I wanted to but that's when it happened. . .that's when it snapped.  It was that moment my true self broke free from the contraints I had placed on it for so long.  I knew at that moment something so awful and horrifying was going to take place, 

"Hey Luke. . ." I called to his and the other guys' retreating backs as I threw down my book.  They all turned around. . .that was the exact moment I was lost and my true self had taken total and utter control.  

"What man?"  He said walking back towards me, leaving the group standing a yard or so back.

"Can I ask you something?"  

"What?!  You're wasting my time here."  His impatients only further fueling me.  He had time to fuck with me but not to listen to me.  

So lay down / The threat is real / When his sight / Goes red again 

"What would you do. . ." I took a step closer and brought the knife from behind my back, "If at this very moment I were to stick this knife into you?  What if I stabbed you over and over and left you to die?  Because that's what I'm thinking.  Would you scream?  Cry?  I think you'd scream like a little pussy.  Hmmm. . ."  

     I turned my head to the side slightly and then I jammed my knife into his stomach with all the force I held within me, which was quite a bit considering I had pretty large muscles even then.  I retracted the knife and stabbed him a good two or three times more before the other guys hastily moved towards me.  I smiled an evil and sadonic grin, and welcomed them.  None realized their friend was hurt therefore they took me on with great zeal but it was no match ot me.  I had crossed over and gone far off into a red abyss filled with hate and anger for everything and person who had ever done anything to me.   Billy lunged at me, I cut his arm first but it wasn't enough.  

'Dead. . .make them all dead.'  A commanding voice hissed.  I obeyed. 

     Billy looked down at his arm in disbelief and then lunged for me again. 'Dead. . .make them all dead.' It repeated.  I obeyed.  I stabbed Billy in the chest twice and threw him to the ground, blood hungry for more.  Foolishly another one of the guys came at me, he was nearly my size but he was no match.  As the kid ran at me I aimed my knife at his eye, he had no time to react. . .only scream as the knife punctured his eye sending a spray of blood everywhere.  The other boys stood staring at me in utter disbelief.

_/Seeing red again/_

     This time I didn't wait for them to come I came to them.  I ran at the kids quick and with purpose.  I picked off one and stabbed him in the jugular.  Another I hit in the groin with the knife, the next in the femoral artery in the leg.  I grabbed the next and stabbed him in the stomach a few times, and finally the last I knocked to the ground and began stabbing him the chest countless times. 

     My breathing wasn't even ragged, I was cool and calm as if I'd still been sitting reading my book.  I then took to punching Billy who seemed to have not gotten much of anything.  Once realizing it futile I picked him up from the ground and spoke loudly, "I can't hurt a fly huh?  LOOK AT ME. . .ALL OF YOU!"  I pulled Billy's head back and with little effort I slit his throat.  Without my noticing, somehow Luke had managed to stand. . .I moved to him and quickly without hardly any trouble stabbed his heart a good five times.  

"LOOK AT YOU NOW!  FUCKIN' DISGUSTING PIGS!  YOU ARE ALL GOING TO DIE. . .YOU KNOW THAT DON'T YOU?"  I screamed looking at the bloody mess on the floor.

     As I watched the mass of broken bodies on the floor slowly dying the voice called to me again.  'Dead. . .make them all dead.'  It was right. . . I had not finished.  I searched the hall for something-anything-that I could use to finish the pathetic excuses for boys off.  My eye caught on a fire extinguisher, I ripped it from the wall and took it to my first victim.  One after another I beat them beyond any sort of recognition.  

     I stood back surveying my work.  They were all dead.  There was blood spilled across the floor for what seemed like miles, there was splatters of blood drenching the walls and drenching me.  None of it bothered me.  I wasn't there.  Only the red was there filling me completely.  I faintly heard a ringing through the haze. . .the bell.  Kids would be down soon but I had no idea.  I wasn't there.  I stood in the middle of the empty hall, bloody bodies surrounding me and all I did was stand there a deadly look on my face.  They had gotten what they'd come for and I'd done what I'd waited all too long to do.  

This change / He won't contain / Slip away / To clear your mind 

     A girl came through the door, laughing and giggling with her friends, but one look at me and she was out the door.  I wasn't going to harm her.  My body wouldn't move.  It had control. . .but it had no desire to hurt her.  I felt myself begin to shake uncontrollably.  The exertion on my body had been emense but I didn't fall I just shook.  Behind my eyes I watched over and over the beautiful and primal dance that had recently taken place.  Without any realization a demonic smile crept across my face.  The blood on my face on increasing the satanicness of scene i stood in the middle of.  

     It must have been twenty minutes bfore anyone entered the hall again.  I heard people somewhere far off, stirring outside the hall.  Then the cops came. . .they rushed into the room only to be taken aback by the sight.  My grin widened.  Finally they rushed me, slamming a billy club into the back of my head and hand cuffing me. 

     Oddly, there had been no black. . .no deep abyss.  Only red, a deep crimson red like that of the many boys I had slain.  It had been so beautiful.  I wondered if there was such a thing as a red out because I had no black out.  

     The cops immediately took me to prison asking for the soonest trial possible.  They called me a beast, an animal. . .Goddamned Satan himself.  I didn't understand.  I didn't know what had happened or at least I didn't remember at the time.  "The Red did it!"  I yelled.  I didn't know what else to say.

When asked / What made it show? / The truth / He can't send to most 

     The next time it happened, I knew what it was.  I felt it coming, and I watched as it wrecked havoc in the courtroom because that's where it happened next.  The prick of a lawyer shouldn't have gotten in my face.  Should have never poked at me.  Should have never done any off it but he did and so he paid. . .and so did I.  No temporary insanity.  No life in low security prison.  No. . .I was 17 and sent straight to Slam City to spend the rest of my festering life there.

_/Seeing red again/_

*********

     I woke in a cold sweat. . .the damned dream again.  Always the same, always taunting and teasing.  It never let me forget.  It hadn't been my fault then.  I hadn't been a killer.  I had only been a kid trying to mind his business that got pushed a tad too far.  They knew what they were doing but I didn't.  That red haze had come on like nothing I had ever felt and as time passed I learned that I enjoyed that red haze and even provoked it at times.  

*********

     When I first got to Slam City I was helpless. . .I cried like a little pussy that I was.  But one day I got pushed too far and it returned like a blazing red pheonix ripping through the darkness of the Slam.  I killed twelve men that day and I walked away unharmed.  I hadn't even been a killer then.  It was still the red that took over but I soon understood that the red WAS me and I was the red.  We were one in the same and when I asked it came.  

*********

     I sat in my cell and ran my hand over my shaven scalp. . .fuck that dream.  I hated it more each time it came.  I wished I could tear my brain out and pick that dream out and throw it away.  But it would always stay with me.  It ws part of me, just as the red was.  It had helped to make me who I was. . .Richard B. Riddick.

     I rose from my sorry excuse of a cot and walked to the sink.  I dipped my head into the sink and washed my sweat covered face with the muddied water that came out thorugh the faucet.  That's when I heard it. . .heard him.  He entered my cell and that in itself was a huge 'No go.'  I heard him move towards me and I even heard him un sheeth his shiv but I didn't indicate at all that I'd heard.  I felt the red beginning to push up but I shoved it down, 'No. . .this one is mine.  This is my kill this time.'  I told it firmly.

     I spun around in a lightning fast move completely clear of mind and body.  My grin held on my face was similar to the one i had worn so many years ago when I'd made my first kill. . .

     The man was dead before he hit the floor.  

They say freak / When your singled out / The red.... / It filters through 


End file.
